Drafting mechanism



May 4, 1937. T. w. LAWTON DRAFTING MECHANISM Filed March 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inve 3 5/ 0 i T/wm WLawZon, yflfijnfl May 4, 1937. T. w. LAWTON 7 DRAFT ING MECHANI SM Filed March 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 66 $54 as e5 Patented May 4, 1937 DRAFHNG macnmsn Thomas W. Fulton, New Bedford, Mass. Application March 29, 1935. Serial No. 13,645

9 Claims. (cl. 19-130) The present invention is concerned with apparatus or means for drafting textile .flbers. It

aims to provide improved mechanism for the purpose, particularly adapted for use in connection with high drafting of cotton, as preliminary to or attendant ,on the spinning operation;

In the drawings illustrating by way ofexample certain embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a portion of a drafting frame embodying one form of the invention, the upper front and intermediate rolls being broken away, the illustrated frame being typical of those in the classes of slubbers, intermediate, roving'and spinning frames;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. vertical longitudinal section through the same;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged illustration, in front elevation, of one of the guiding devices;

Fig. 4a shows a blank for the latter;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section upon a similar scale as in Fig. 4, through one of said guide devices and illustrating its relation to adjacent rolls;

Figs. 6 to inclusive illustrate modified em bodiments of the invention; in said figures Fig. 6 is a, top plan corresponding to a portion of Fig. 1, I

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section corresponding to Fig. 3, and

Figs. 8 to 10 are respectively a plan, a'front elevation, and a vertical section of one of the guide devices like those of Figs. 6 and 7, upon an enlargedscale, but showing them as independently movable;

Figs. 11 to 13 illustrate a further modification, Figs. 11 and 12 respectively being a plan and a front elevation of a guide device, and Fig. 13 being a. section of the same, also illustrating its relation to the adjacent rolls, similarly as in Fig. 5; and

Figs. 14 to-16 illustrate a further form-of guide means, said figures beingrespectively a plan, a front elevatr' in and a vertical section.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5,-the frame selected for the purposes of illustration, as representative of textile drafting apparatus such as slubbers, intermediate, roving and spinning frames, includes supporting pedestals.2 for the roll stand 3 on which are mounted the roll brackets 4, l for the lower rolls5, 6 and I; see; particularly Fig. 3. Rearwardly of the roll brackets are the stands 8 providing pivotal support as at 8 for the adjustable cap bars ill. The several roll bracketsand tapered tube.

the cap bar stand ll preferably are longitudinally adjustable with respect to each other, along ways of which one is seen at l I. The brackets are fixed in selected position as by means of the clamp screws l2, l2. I l

The cap bars in 'adjustably support the bearings 13 for the upper rolls of which three are here illustrated including the front, intermediate and rear top rolls l4, l5 and I6 respectively, in paired relation to the corresponding bottom 10 rolls 5, 6, and I. The rolls, both in the lower and the upper positions, may be of the usual types and dimensions, fluted steel rolls generally being used in the lower portions and leather surfaced or other rolls'in the cooperating upper positions. Preferably, however, and as herein illustrated, one or more of the top rolls, either the rear top roll it or the intermediate top roll ill, or both, have drafting or fiber engaging circumferential portions comprising 'a multiplicity of resilient 20 wire points, as disclosed and claimed in the patent to T. P. Rooney No. 1,933,222, dated October 31, 1933. The silver condensing and guiding mechanism of the present invention, to be described, is especially useful in cooperation with such wire-pointed roll. I

7 Under high draft conditions it is found that the fibersof the sliver sometimes tend to spread and throw out laterally to an objectionable extent, causing irregularities in the yarns. In accordance with the present invention this dimculty is overcome by confining the fibers and suitably guiding the silver in its travel between adjacent pairs of rolls, such as the intermediate trated in Figs. 1 to 5, an appropriatenumber of guides 20 are provided, at least one for each sliver, roving or yarn passing through the particular frame. .These guides or condensers 20 have the general form of a laterally flattened 40 As further contrasted with devices such as heretofore set behind the rearmost rolls of a series, said guides 20 are open at the' top, so that the silver may initially be entered into them broadside rather than having to be threaded through lengthwise.

In the illustrated example of Figs. 1 to 5, each guide 20 has a substantially flat bottom wall 2|, wider at the rear and tapered forwardly. Along the side edges of the bottom wall are the inturned side walls or cars 22. These approach each other sufliciently to retain the sliver, in cooperation with the bottom'wall 2|, during the drafting operation and to produce a condensing effect upon it,

- quately to receive the sliverbroadwise between them, for threading purposes, through the top entrance or throat 23.

Any suitable material may be used for the guides such as a light weight and preferably non-corrosive metal. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5 each guide 20, see particularly Fig. 4, is integrally formed from a single piece of light sheet metal such as copper, and includes a downwardly projecting fin 24 and a horizontal laterally extended flange 25, whereby the guide is positioned for movement lengthwise the rolls. At the rear edge of the flange 25 the material is reversed forwardly upon itself to provide the bottom guide wall 21, the latter being upset along its forwardly convergent side edges to form the enclosing ears 22, as previously described. A blank for a condensing guide such as those of Figs. 1 to 5 is illustrated in Fig. 4a, from which it will be understood that the piece is folded in one direction along the lower-horizontal dotted line a, reversed along the intermediate parallel line b, and the ears 22 turned up and inwardly along the lines 0. The particular material and manner of formation however may be widely varied within the scope of the invention.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, the condenser guides 20 are operatively supported on a carrier comprising a rail 21 set in the space between two adjacent pairs of rolls, as seen, for example, in Figs. 3 and 5. In its cross-sectional T-shape as shown, the upper strip 28 of said carrier presents a track for the horizontal flange 2.5 of the guides 20. Longitudinal slots 29 are formed in said upper strip 28, opposite the respective rolls, and extending downwardly through the vertical part 28 of the T-rail. The vertical fins 24 of the guides are set in said slots 29, wherein they are held and guided for free movement lengthwise the bar 21, within the limits of the slots, which latter are of a length approximating that of the adjacent rolls. Each guide 20 accordingly is freely traversable along the rolls, over the entire active drafting portions of the latter. The rail 21 may be mounted,-detachably or otherwise, on any convenient stationary part of the frame, such as the front roll bracket 4, or upon the cap bars as by means of attaching pieces or fingers indicated at 30 in Fig. 1.

As apparent from the foregoing description and the drawings, the rail is proportioned *and arranged to conform to the space between any given pairs of rolls and to present no interference with the latter. It may be employed with rolls of any of the different sizes used for drafting purposes and under varied spacing of the rolls. In the arrangemen of Figs. 1 to 5, for example, the lower front roll has a diameter of one inch while the adjacent lower intermediate roll is of seveneighths inch diameter, the latter being the smallest roll in general use. Even with the smaller rolls and close settings thereof, affording an equilateral triangular space between them of but about one-quarter inch to a side, guides such as the elements 20 and their supporting rail 21 may readily be installed in the manner illustrated.

The rail may be other than T-shape in section, but said formation has been found particularly suited to the purpose. in actual practice, and has the additional advantages of rigidity and strength.

, The described construction and arrangement of the condensing guides 20 and of their support are such that the guides are in extremely close relation to the drafting rolls, leaving a clearance which may be as little as .005 inch. The guides have a. length, in the direction of the draft, appropriate to the particular size and setting of the rolls, so as to span and fill in substantially'the entire space between the nip lines of consecutive pairs of rolls. Accordingly the silver is effectively guided and confined through pratically its en- I guide from its carrier rail 21 and drop another in place in the slot 29 therein.

It will be noted that the floors 21 of the guides- 20 lie substantially in the plane of the nip lines of the rolls between which they are positioned, so as to have effective supporting and guiding engagement with the sliver. Such location of the guides is made possible, even where the rolls are closely set, as in Figs. 1 to 5, both by the described structure and arrangement of the rail 21, and also by reason of the generally triangular or truncated pyramidal form of the guides themselves, as viewed in side elevation. As seen particularly in Figs. 3 and 5, the confining ear portions 22 of the guides are oppositely inclined, upwardly and toward each other, at their front and rear portions 22'- and 22 respectively, whereby they conform to the trangular space available between the upper rolls, above the nip line.

' Drafting frames of which the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 5 is typical customarily are equipped with mechanically traversed trumpets for vibrating the sliver along the rearmost rolls while guiding and entering it between them. Such traversing trumpets are generally mounted on a cross bar sliding in the guide slots in the rear roll bracket, as herein shown in Fig. 3 at 32, the ,cross bar and trumpet being omitted for the sake of clearness. The light, freely movable guides 20 of the present invention facilitate and supplement said desired traversing action of the sliver as imposed by the driven trumpet rearwardly of the back rolls, said guides freely shifting or fluttering lengthwise the rolls, following the movement of the sliver, while at the same time confining or condensing and guiding it throughout substantially its entire travel from any one pair of rolls to the pair next in front.

Figs. 6 to 10 illustrate further embodiments of the invention, again in connection with a typical drafting frame. Parts not-otherwise referred to maybe similar to corresponding parts in the previous figures, including the roll stand 3, the brackets 4 for the lower rolls 5, 6, and 1, and the upper rolls i4, l5, l6 journaled on the cap bars l0. Either or both the intermediate and the rear top rolls l5, 16 may be of the wire pointed construction of Patent 1,933,222 previously referred to.

As in the previous figures, condensing and guiding means for the sliver, during its travel between adjacent pairs of rolls, is provided. 10, the guides proper, in-S. dicated as a'yvhole by the numeral 35, each com-' a best seen in Figs. 8 to prise a fiat'm'aright part or base 36 supporting an approximately Ushape open-top guiding and condensing portion or trough 31, of substantial extent inthe direction of travel of the sliver.

mouth 38 for the silver, see 'Fig. 8, and tapers forwardly, in a generally similar manner as in the preceding figuresh V The trough-like guides of Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are mounted for independent free movement lengthwise the rolls,',as by means of a carrier or rail 39 extending between stationary parts of the frame, such as the roll brackets or the cap bars, as in Figs. ,1 to 5. The rail 29 is provided with tracks 40,, Fig. 8, for the respective guides, said tracks herein formed by longitudinal recesses in a narrowed portion or flange 4| along the top of the rail. A retaining strip 42 secured along the back of the flange 4!, as by means ofthe screws 43,-provides a rear wall for the tracks 40. The bases 36 of the guides 35 have an offset foot at their lower ends as at 44 received in a longitudinal recess in the under face. of the retaining strip 42. The condensing guides 35 are thus held and guided for free traversing movement lengthwise the rolls, but may readily b removed for interchange or replacement.

Similar guide elements as in Figs. 8 to 10 are shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In said latter figures, however, the guides 35. are flxed upon a bar 45 slidably positioned between adjacent lower rolls of the series herein the front and the intermediate rolls, and provision is made for traversing the bar itself, while the guides retain their fixed relation with respect to the bar. As'illustrated in Figs. 6- and '7, the guide-supporting bar 45 is carried at the foreend 45.0f a

horizontal arm 41 adiustably attached, as by the slot and screw connections 48, 48, to a bracket 49 secured to the usual traverse bar 50. The latter is slidably supported inthe slot 32 in the rear roll bracket 4 and carries the customary trumpets (not shown),- behind the rearmost rolls, for entering the sliver between them. Said rear bar 55 is traversed in the known manner andiby any suitable mechanism, to shift the sliver in one and the opposite direction lengthwise the rolls. The guide, elements 35 of Figs. 6 and 7, operating. between pairs of rolls, are preferably set on their supporting bar 45 in line with the trumpets on the traverse bar 50. By means of the supporting arm-4! and its described connections with the rear traverse bar 50 and the forward bar 45, the guides 35 are caused to shift in unison with the traversing movement of the rear trumpets. Said auxiliary or forward bar 45 may additionally be supported and guided in ways mounted on or formed in a convenient part, such as the adjacent roll brackets, as indicated at 45. Guide mechanism such as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10 is more particularly adapted for heavier drafting operations and in instances where a relatively numerals are used in Figs. 11 to 13 for parts corresponding to those of Figs. 1 to 5. The lower front and intermediate rolls 5 and d and the corresponding upper rolls l4, 15 are indicated in Fig. 13. The guides are slidably mounted on the'carrier or rail 21 likethat of Figs. 1 to 5. The base portions 2|,"24, 25 of the guides 52 are similar asin'said figures. Y

The forwardly tapering side walls or ears 22, 22, however, stand substantially upright, and serve to position a floating top plate or weighting member 53. This weighting'member or float 53. is shaped to conform with the interior of the guide 52 as a whole... It is held in operative position, wherein it rests and floats upon the sliver passing beneath it, as by means of the projections or pins 54, 54 at its opposite sides received in vertical guide slots 55, 55 in the respective side walls 22". If desired the guide slots 55 may have olfset extensions 56 opening-at the upper edges of the side walls 22". .By reason of such offset the float 53 is held against accidental displacement'but may be lifted and disengaged from the guide proper, when desired, as for the purpose of initially entering the sliver broadwise into the open top guide, or for discarding the float in such instances as it is not required.

With a construction such as shown in Figs. 11 to 13 there areobtained not only the desired guiding and condensing effects upon the sliver, but also that of an augmented and adjustable drag upon the sliver and prolonged drafting engagement with it, affording excellent results in connection with high drafting and particularly in conjunction with the use of wirepointed rolls as in the patent previously referred to. It will beunderstood that float elements 53 as in Figs. 11 to 13 but of various weights may be interchangeably substituted to suit the requirements of any particular drafting conditions.

Figs. 14 to 16 illustrate a modified form of support for a guide 35 of generally similar character as in Figs. 6 to 10. In this instance said guides are mounted for individual free sliding movement along and upon a pair of wires S0, 5L. The latter extend axially of the rolls between the desired pairs thereof and are supported by and between fixed parts of the drafting frame, similarly as the rail 21 in Figs. 1 to 5 and Figs. 11 to Ber 39 of Figs. 8 to 10. The lower portions of the guides 35 are bifurcated to straddle said wires. As illustrated in Figs. 14 to 16, said guides are formed with spaced legs 62, 62 and an intermediate tongue 63 struck rearwardly from the plane of the legs 52, the wires 60, El being receivable between the legs 62, the

tongue 63 as seen in the figures. The tongue 63 may have one or more projections or ribs 64 positioned to underlie the corresponding wire or 68. The guides 35 as illustrated may readily be set onto or removed from their supporting wires, the tongues 63 yielding rearwardly as they are set in place and springing back to position their ribs 54 below the adjacent wire 50 or 6!, thereby to'retai'n the guides against unintentional displacement. The guides may be limited-in their traversing movements as by stop pins or the like 65 adjacent the ends of the drafting portions of the respective rolls.

The present vinvention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof illustrated and described he'rein, its scope being set forth in the following claims:

Iclaim:

1. A condensing guide for a. silver, in textile drafting frames including slubbers, intermediate, roving and spinning frames, said guide being a one-piece sheet metal member comprising a. hurlzontal flange adapted for slidably seating the guide, a substantially vertical positioning and guiding fin, and a forwardly tapered sliver-guid- 10 ing funnel-like portion comprising a folded bottom wall overlying said flange, said funnel-like portion having a longitudinal passage for entering the sliver into it in a broadwise manner.

3. A condensing guide for a sliver, in textile drafting frames including slubbers, intermediate,

roving and spinning frames, said guide comprising a supporting base, a forwardly tapered guide trough, and a float element held in vertically movable position between the side walls of said guide trough and adapted to rest by gravity upon the sliver.

4. A condensing guide for a sliver, in textile drafting frames including slubbers, intermediate,

roving and spinning frames, said guide comprising a a supporting base, a forwardly tapered guide trough, including a bottom and side walls, and a weighting element vertically movably positioned between the side walls of the trough so as to float upon the sliver.

5. In a textile drafting apparatus, in combination, a plurality of sets of upper and lower rolls rotatably suppor ed on a frame, a stationary rail located between adjacent sets of rolls, parallel with the roll axes, a guide-supporting track formation on the rail, a condensing guide having a horizontal flange adapted for slidably seating the guide. upon the rail, a substantially vertical positioning and guiding fln, and a forwardly tapered sliver, guiding funnel-like portion for said 40 guide comprising a folded bottom wall overlying said flange.

6. In a textile drafting apparatus, in combination, a plurality of sets of upper and lower rolls rotatably supported on a frame, a stationary rail 45 located between two adjacent sets of rolls, parallel with the roll axes, a guide-supporting trackformation on the rail, and a condensing guide slidably supported on said rail, said guide comprising a supporting base, a forwardly tapered guide trough, and a float element held in vertically movable position between the side walls of said guide trough and adapted to rest by gravity upon the sliver.

7. In a textile drafting apparatus, in combination with a plurality of sets of upper and lower rolls rotatably supported on a frame, a stationary rail located between two adjacent sets of rolls, parallel with the roll axes, a guide-supporting track formation on the rail, including spaced front-and rear walls, and a sliver-guiding device positioned thereby for free traversing movement along substantially the entire longitudinal extent of the drafting portions of the adjacent rolls, said guide comprising a laterally extended supporting and guiding base received by the raILasubstantially vertical guiding and retaining fin depending from said base at a point intermediate its length in the direction of the silver movement, saidfinbeing received between the front and rear walls of said track formation, and a longitudinally open troughed portion for guiding and condensing the sliver, said troughed portion being forwardly tapered and including side walls inclining downwardly in opposite directions at their front and their rear portions and conforming the guide device for operative reception in the space between two relatively closely adjacent sets of rolls.

8. A condensing guide for a silver, in textile drafting frames including slubbers, intermediate, roving and spinning frames, said guide comprising a supporting base, a forwardly tapered guide trough, and a float element held in vertically movable position between the side walls of said guide trough and adapted to rest by gravity upon the sliver, the construction and arrangement being such that the float element may be disengaged sufficiently for entering the silver broadwise into the guide trough.

9. A condensing guide for a silver, in textile drafting frames including slubbers, intermediate, roving and spinning frames, said guide comprising a supporting base, a forwardly tapered guide trough, and a float element held in vertically movable position between the side walls of said guide troughand adapted to rest by gravity upon the sliver, said float element being readily bodily removable from the guide proper.

THOMAS W; LAWTON. 

